Radiofrequency Balloon Devices for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

Despite technological advancements, radiofrequency catheter ablation for pulmonary vein isolation remains a challenging procedure, as maneuvering the catheter to obtain effective lesions is technically complex and time consuming. For this reason, balloon-based ablation systems have been developed, which can quickly and easily isolate the pulmonary veins (single-shot), with outcomes comparable with point-by-point catheter ablation in the paroxysmal atrial fibrillation population. In this review, we discuss 3 balloon-based devices that use radiofrequency to obtain permanent lesions, a relatively emerging technology that may pose as an alternative option to cryoenergy or laser for single-shot pulmonary vein isolation.